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Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Brexit: The Morning After

The consequences of the vote are beginning to sink in. Here is a short clip from the British paper, The Independent. We have published numerous posts on the failings of the leave position and they are under the tab "Brexit" if you want to check them out. This blog has clearly supported the remain campaign and the numerous left groups and socialist organizations that supported the leave side have not served the interests of the working class at all finding themselves on the same side of the issue as the fascists. One could only base one's decision on whether or not the consciousness of the British working class will be raised by leaving or whether both the British and European working class will be stronger for it, will be able to build links across national lines through it. The only answer to that can be no on both counts.

The forces of racism and bigotry have been strengthened, not the working class. The trade union movement and Labor Party must defend immigrants and immigrant rights and call for a united front of action to defend the immigrant communities and take the racists and fascists on in the streets.

Here's the confidence Farange and the right wing's victory has bolstered. Richard Mellor

Faith Matters, an interfaith group that works on countering extremism
projects, released the hate crime figures that were reported through
Tell MAMA.

Fiyaz Mughal, founder and
director of Faith Matters, said that, since Friday’s results, incidents
of racist abuse have been reported predominantly from visible Muslim
women who have had comments such as “we voted you out, why are you still
here” directed at them.

Mughal said: “The Brexit
vote seems to have legitimised the prejudice of some people to the point
where they are verbalising and targeting people at a street level who
are visibly different.
“This is England 2016 and this is totally unacceptable.”

Examples of the racist behaviour documented includes a taxi driver
telling a Muslim woman that he voted to leave the EU “to get rid of
people like you”.

Other people report being called a “p***” and physical abuse.

Below is a selection of some of the 30 incidents reported to Tell MAMA following Friday’s result.
The result of the EU referendum has seen an increase in anti-immigration rhetoric.

A selection of some of the 30 incidents reported to Tell MAMA following Friday’s referendum result

Scores of people have been documenting online the racist abuse that they have received since Friday’s result.

Dozens of people responded to Kotecha on social media, condemning the abuse that she received.
Sam Coates, deputy political editor at The Times, said that the
racist abuse Kotecha faced in her home town made it “hard to deny link
to referendum”.

Labour MP Paula Sherriff said the abuse was “absolutely shocking”, adding that she was aware of similar incidents near her.

Another MP, Alison McGovern, called the abuse “absolutely horrific”.
Journalist Anita Anand said that she had heard similar “wretched” stories from friends of hers.

Over the weekend a number of people revealed the #PostRefRacism they had received.
Police are investigating suspected racist graffiti scrawled on a Polish community building in London.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, MPs from across the main
political parties condemned the spate of racist attacks in recent days.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Real concern exists about
immigration, but too much of the discussion in the referendum campaign
was intemperate and divisive.

“And in the days following the referendum result it appears we have
seen a rise in racist incidents such as the attack on the Polish centre
in Hammersmith, which the Prime Minister quite rightly referred to, and
sadly many such other sad incidents all over this country.”

He called for this “disgraceful racist behaviour” to be halted.

Corbyn said that as political leaders it was their “duty” to “calm our language and calm our tone”.
David Cameron agreed that “all action” must be taken to “stamp” out intolerance.
SNP MP Angus Robertson also spoke out against the attacks.

Robertson said: “I hope that we all, on all sides, totally repudiate
these despicable acts and encourage the police and prosecuting
authorities to do all that they can.”

Harriet Harman, former deputy leader of the Labour party, said: “The
leaders of the Brexit campaign have engendered an atmosphere where some
people believe it is open season now for racism and xenophobia.”

On Monday Mayor of London
Sadiq Khan said he had asked Scotland Yard to be “extra vigilant” after a
number of incidents were reported in the capital and around Britain.

“So it’s really important we stand guard against any rise in hate
crimes or abuse by those who might use last week’s referendum as cover
to seek to divide us.

“I’ve asked our police to be extra vigilant for any rise in cases of
hate crime, and I’m calling on all Londoners to pull together and rally
behind this great city.”

Faith Matters’ Mughal said: “The Brexit vote seems to have given
courage to some with deeply prejudicial and bigoted views that they can
air them and target them at predominantly Muslim women and visibly
different settled communities.

“This is unacceptable and further polarising and especially worrying
when our 2015 annual findings are showing some young white males between
the ages of 13-18 being radicalised by extremist far right narratives.”